Chapter Thirty-One, Night March, Chapter Thirty-Two, The Observation Post Summary

It is Paul Berlin's first day at the war and the platoon of thirty-soldiers is on a night maneuver. Lt. Sidney Martin is in charge of the platoon and Private First Class Berlin is at his customary spot at the rear of the column where he pretends he is camping with his father. Berlin is following Cacciato on the trail and thinking about Billy Boy Watkins who died that day of fright. Berlin decides that he must keep his real self separate and aloof in order to survive. He counts his steps and they number eight thousand, six hundred.

On a break in the march, Berlin sits next to Cacciato who is whistling without realizing it. Cacciato talks too much, constantly chews gun and whistles all the...